How to Take Consumer Behavior Data and Translate it Into Actionable Insight

The customer is always right. And when they’re wrong, they’re still right.

OK, that might be a little extreme and probably not the exact connotation Harry Gordon Selfridge or Marshall Field had in mind when they built their businesses, but the phrase still holds tremendous weight – especially in franchising. If your system can’t be scaled to meet consumer demand in multiple markets you will fail. It is that simple.

Buzz Franchise Brands, parent company of Mosquito Joe*, recently launched a new maintenance and minor repair swimming pool concept called Pool Scouts*. With an established and growing brand like Mosquito Joe and a brand new brand like Pool Scouts, Buzz Franchise Brands relies heavily on consumer data to improve their systems and maintain strong growth.

I had a chance to speak with Gwen Marsh, Marketing Manager for Pool Scouts and Angela Zerda, Director of Marketing for both brands, about how they translate consumer data into real results and best practices for using data.

1851 Franchise: How important is market research for launching a new franchise concept?

Gwen Marsh: Market research is essential. Pool Scouts conducted both quantitative and qualitative research during the development process that greatly influenced the brand identity, positioning and strategic platform. We wanted to be sure we had a brand that was synonymous with trust, competence, professionalism, courtesy and a bit of fun. We believe we landed in the right place thanks to the research pointing us in the right direction and confirming our hypotheses.

1851: What are some of the things you looked at to successfully launch Pool Scouts?

Angela Zerda: It's always important to look at the market/industry you're entering first and foremost. What is the current landscape? What's working well and where are the opportunities for improvement? For Pool Scouts we looked at the pool service industry for the current trends, we analyzed the competitive space, and we sought out information on the needs of our target audience (pool owners). Once we had our brand positioning, we looked for the best ways to drive brand awareness as a new company entering the pool service space.

1851: Were you surprised by any of the things you found or is it all fairly straight forward?

AZ: The more research we did, and the more we learned about the current pool service landscape, the more confident and excited we felt about launching Pool Scouts. It was clear that there was a need for professional pool cleaning services, and especially room for that within the franchise space. The response has been incredible both from the end customer and the potential franchisee side. It is a testament to both the fragmented market as well as the mission of Pool Scouts.

1851: What advice might you give to another franchise starting up?

GM: A thoughtful approach pays off in the end. Take the time to understand the market through research and partners, and use that information to make educated decisions.

1851: What advice might you give to an established brand?

AZ: Even established brands should be regularly collecting data to ensure they're still relevant with the services they're offering and the brand messaging they're using. Consumer needs and expectations are constantly changing so brands must constantly adapt.